Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: RIP GCC

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Ground Level » RIP GCC (Page 3)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Author

Topic: RIP GCC

Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 09-17-2002 03:40 PM

I don't remember the street either Arthur. It's West of Aurora on the south side of the street and sits way back on the property with trees (I think) in front of it. It's across from a Lutheran church. I believe there's a freeway off ramp for the street it's on and you travel west past some shopping centers. The property also used to be accessable from Aurora.

Bob
The Old Showman

| IP: Logged

Peter Kerchinsky
Master Film Handler

Posts: 326
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 09-18-2002 04:47 AM

Old Showman
The Lynn 4 was gone shortly before I arrived here in Seattle, but a former projectionist told me it was being used as a warehouse. I haven't been by there recently and I'm not sure the building is there any longer. It went down when SRO built the Grand Cinemas in Alderwood Mall.
We've also heard rumors that Southcenter and Northgate Mall theatres were going down soon, but as far as I know they are both still standing. Southcenter property was apparently bought by a restaurant chain and was to be demolished. No word on what they're going to do with the Northgate yet.
Last week AMC closed the Sea-Tac 6 in the Federal Way area. The other section of that complex closed about a year ago.

| IP: Logged

Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 09-18-2002 01:26 PM

Peter:

Thanks for the info. Makes me kinda sad to see the older houses go. My friend Marv Morgan (he was also best man at my wedding) used to manage the Northgate when Sterling had it. It was another beautiful (and large) theatre.

Bob
The Old Showman

| IP: Logged

Arthur Allen
Film Handler

Posts: 99
From: Renton, WA, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 09-18-2002 11:19 PM

It turns out I had the Lynn 4 address in my files the whole time, along with my collection of drive-in advertisements. It was at 19802 Highway 99, or approximately here:

Terraserver photo

I thought it was on the west side of the highway, but an even number address implies it was on the east side. In the photo is a large building on the east side and some older-looking residential forrested area on the west.

By my 1984 advertisement it was already a bargain house ($3.00 a double feature). I was still in business by my 1986 advertisement, when the prices had actually gone down! (Sunday through Thursday $1.50, Friday, Saturday and holidays $2.50, still showing double features.)

| IP: Logged

Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 09-19-2002 02:33 PM

Hi Arthur!

It may have had an Aurora Ave. address but it could be entered from both 99 and the east/west street just north of its 99 driveway. That address may be confusing but I stick by my statement that it is west of 99 and across the street from the Lutheran church where my wife and I were married. I tried to make it out in the photo as it looks like there is a church across from the wooded area on the east/west street but I cant see it. The building you mentioned is too big and the wrong shape for the Lynn.

Bob
The Old Showman

| IP: Logged

Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 11-17-2002 11:55 AM

In Northern New Jersey on a rainy Saturday, I stopped by the AMC Essex Green (West Orange) to see The Ring. This all-stadium 9-plex has visible traces of its GCC origins:

(1) A sign at the concession stand has the GCC and credit card logos ("General Cinema Accepts Visa/MasterCard").

(2) The blue circles outside are still up, only with the white GCC letters painted over.

Better yet, the last snipe before the feature was a Dolby Digital snipe! When have you seen that in an AMC?

As at Clifton Commons the "AMC Previews" and "Silence is Golden" snipes are missing from the preshow.

| IP: Logged

Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 11-17-2002 03:08 PM

I worked the Lynn Twin as a relief operator during the mid-'70s. SRO was a good company to work for, and they had me running between the old Magnolia theatre & the Lynn, with a short "vacation relief" stint at their flagship, the John Danz. Maybe Robert remembers... Was the hallway at the Lynn that connected the booths built over the roof? Seems I recall it was.

They were automated changeover booths with RCA tube amps (RCA took care of all of SRO's sound), & Eprad automations. A modified doorbell in each booth let you know that the other was in changeover or emergency.

I'm glad I didn't see the place after they twinned it. Those auditoriums were nice as they were. Electric curtains, masking, the works.

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-18-2002 08:53 AM

Interestingly, AMC has slides that advertise SDDS. I find this amusing, as they are showing them on all of the screens at Chestnut Hill, yet only one house (out of five) is equipped for SDDS.

| IP: Logged

Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 11-18-2002 09:12 AM

In the new DVD of "Lord of the Rings", you get a Movie Money check
good for a free ticket up to $10.50. If you you on the back of the
check you see the theatres you can use it at. No AMC, but General
Cinema is still there.

| IP: Logged

Steven Privett
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 208
From: Pasadena, TX, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 11-18-2002 12:40 PM

I guess, so as not offend anybody, they'll remove the clips from the features and TV shows that had GCC theatres featured in them. [Roll Eyes]

| IP: Logged

Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1517
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 11-18-2002 02:02 PM

One of the kids in "Mighty Ducks 2" worked at a General Cinema theatre- in fact, I think it showed his friends skating by outside and talking him into leaving work early?!

| IP: Logged

Scott Madsen
Film Handler

Posts: 58

Registered: Oct 1999

posted 11-19-2002 12:26 PM

You are correct. It was the Mall of America theatre. It had a huge General Cinema sign used in the film and is visible in many areas of the Mall.
Had is the key word. A few months ago, AMC completed the sign change and now the Red AMC sign is visible in the mall. Kind of hard to get used to.

| IP: Logged

Arthur Allen
Film Handler

Posts: 99
From: Renton, WA, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 11-29-2002 11:15 PM

When I went to see SWII at the former GCC Renton Villiage, I saw Coke slides on the screen and noticed "Pepsi" on the armrests. Went back a few weeks ago and noticed that all the Pepsi logos have been sanded off all the arm rests; kind of irritating when you're not wearing thick sleeves or no sleeves.

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.